Deep
Space Nine Season 6 is Almost All Glory!
By
Kristin Battestella
After
getting excited over some of Deep Space
Nine’s greatness to only end up disappointed over its filler and meandering
ways, loyal viewers of the Star Trek spin
off are finally rewarded with all this goodness!
Captain
Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) is in the thick of the Dominion War along with Klingons,
Cardassians, and even Romulans. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), however, is planning
to marry Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell). Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Sidding)
uncovers the mysterious Section 31’s action during the war while Chief Miles
O’Brien (Colm Meaney) also takes on missions of a duplicitous nature. Security
Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois), Bajoran Major Kira (Nana Visitor), and
Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) must make tough choices while under
Dominion occupation, and the Prophets and Pah-Wraiths of Bajor contribute to
the fatal decisions.
Every
season, DS9 had gems where a viewer
hoped it had hit its stride. Back and forth? Again? This is it! Nope. Back
peddled here, but yes. Yes. This is good! Make no mistake; the glorious six-part
opening of Year 6 is perhaps the best yet. A complete balance and ensemble of
action and players each having their moments across the galaxy with fractured
battle tales on the Defiant, the station, and on Klingon Birds of Prey. All the cast and recurring dynamos rise to
the occasion. If there had been half as many episodes of Deep Space Nine, but each season had been a mini series arc like
this, I’d utterly adore this show!
Unfortunately, I do think the use of The Prophets in “Sacrifice of
Angels” to conclude the arc is a bit of damper, literally a dues ex machina cop
out. The viewer should have expected a
divine intervention- why wouldn’t The Prophets do something about the war after
doing so much for Bajor? However, no one bothers to suggest their help or even
acknowledges they should have a role in the Dominion War. Hey, let’s go talk to
our alien gods and see what they can do to help! Tossing this out so late in
the game is a bit of that DS9 back
peddle again. It’s the bane of this series to never quite make up its mind. Amid
this hitting of Deep Space’s Nine stride-
almost when the series is over!- there are still some clunkers this season.
“Resurrection” puts an unnecessary not-Vedik Bareil (Philip Anglim) hitch into
the Mirror Universe, and though a lovely little bottle character vignette, “The
Sound of her Voice” is too lightweight for a second to last episode of a
wartime season. The finale itself “Tears
of the Prophets” also feels a little formulaic and anti-climatic. It’s a bit of
a weak cliffhanger after all we’ve just been through. Thankfully, “Who Mourns
for Morn?” is a much more delightful reaction episode with a touch of
sentimentality.
With
the glory that is Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko this season, one has to wonder
why Deep Space Nine hasn’t been doing
exceptional black family history dynamics and race relations science fiction
parallels all along. “Far Beyond the Stars” is an exceptional episode, perhaps thee show of the series. To have today’s
sci-fi looking back on the foundings of the genre itself in speculation of
everything in such a wonderful mind bending way! I want to say more, but
shan’t. Likewise, “In the Pale Moonlight” is Sisko showing up to play directly
to the camera and facing the point of no return. Andrew Robinson’s Garak is
equally up to the challenge as the would-be devil of the episode’s titular
quote. Wow. “The Magnificent Ferengi,” by contrast, is a lovely little western
stand-off send-up with Armin Shimerman as Quark along with all our favorite
guest stars- Jeffrey Combs, Max Grodenchik, Aron Eisenberg, Chase Masterson,
Cecily Adams, and even Iggy ^$#&* Pop! This familiar relief should have followed the
heavy opening arc, and the subsequent “Waltz” one-on-one madness with our
favorite vile Cardassian, Marc Alaimo as Dukat, is just excellent. Dukat has justified
his villainy to the point where it is perfectly reasonable to him. After “Sons and Daughters,” “Favor the Bold,”
and “Sacrifice of Angels,” I’m sorry to see Melanie Smith depart as Ziyal, but the
exit of the character and its impact on others is perfect. And it’s so nice to see Jake again in “Valiant.”
It’s a fine chance for Cirroc Lofton to get in on the wartime action and ask
critical questions about youth in battle. Perhaps it is a one-off show, but it
ties into The Dominion plots and doesn’t provide any easy answers.
Strangely,
Colm Meaney and his Chief O’Brien become a bit diminished in the slow undercover
“Honor Among Thieves.” It’s a nice debate about subterfuge and sadness, but
some of these quiet episodes just get lost amid the heavy glory. “Time’s
Orphan” could have been a nice O’Brien family pain show, but it all ends up too
easily resolved. Thankfully, “One Little Ship,” is a cute little show. It’s dangerous and perilous, but a charming,
vintage SF concept with a Trek spin. “My
Way” is also a swinging good way to get Nana Visitor’s Major Kira and Rene
Auberjonois as Odo together thanks to the lovely James Darren as the hip and
wise Vic Fontaine hologram. Sure, some fans aren’t going to like the period
style or the relationship, but it’s not as weird as the hokey Pah-Wraith
effects and irritatingly perfect Louise Fletcher as that pesky Kai Winn in “The
Reckoning.” All our favorite Ferengi do
more in “Profit and Lace” with a fun look at women’s rights and gender issues in
Ferengi society. It isn’t too farcical or heavy-handed but makes a good little
statement and science fiction amalgam. And who knew we’d finally see something
of Julian Bashir in “Inquisition.” Is
this the first time we see his quarters? You can’t really know someone when we
haven’t gone home with him. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely pleased about the
advent of the shadowy Section 31. One may not prefer Vic Fontaine’s tunes or
like Kira and Odo as a couple, but the creation of Section 31 is another deal
breaker that will have viewers throw their arms in the air. One wouldn’t need
to create the subterfuge and undermining of all the Starfleet that we know and
love if you consistently create solid characters dealing with dilemmas within
themselves as in “In the Pale Moonlight.” I’m surprised they continued to use
the Section 31 angles over the much more refined Benny elements from “Far
Beyond the Stars”- but there’s more of that in the seventh and final season.
Likewise,
the ball is still dropped regarding Michael Dorn’s relocated Worf and his new
wife, the departing Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax. “You Are Cordially Invited” is Klingon fun,
but the treatment of Marc Worden as Alexander is iffy. I don’t know why the
writers felt the need to essentially write out familial relationships for Worf
and O’Brien- even Jake and Sisko are reduced along with Penny Johnson as Kasidy
Yates family-wise. Of course, Jadzia is also
still a waste, complaining that she actually has some sort of cryptic deciphering
Science Officer stuff to do right up to the end. Why create the Worf as parent
possibility when you are writing out his son on top of Jadzia’s imminent
departure? The baby bonding with Worf is laid on too bittersweet. You can’t
appreciate the dearly departed sentiment on the first viewing. It has to grow
on you; otherwise, the characters just feel so ho-hum. These developments make
no sense, and the opportunity for Sisko and O’Brien to have fatherly bonding
time is relegated to brief B storyline moments. Both a lot of big things and
too many little things happen in the “Tears of the Prophets” finale- the invasion of Cardassia, and spoilers to no
one, the death of Jadzia. It’s all
depressing, with the rest of the episode feeling more like time filler. You
shouldn’t conclude such an awesome season on many little points when you have
big exclamation points in the balance. Is it over? Is that all? Invasions and death-
shouldn’t this be heavier? Deep Space
Nine may have ended right here, and after all of Season 6’s glory, no one
would have noticed. Once again, the series’ nagging built-in pitfalls hamper an
otherwise fine year.
It’s
ironic. Again, the full length of the season creates this very need for filler
and a stretching of the goodness too thin. Having no money for meaty episodes
requires individual and bottle shows that detract and take away from the heavy,
dark, and battle driven ensemble. Had
there been less shows, the production could have ponied up for the action and
stars the story needed to be its complete seamless tapestry. Goodness, six
seasons of Deep Space Nine and I still
feel like this leg of Trek is only half
good thanks to such unevenness. Were DS9 on television today and one randomly
tuned in to a crappy episode, it would be very easy to pass on the entire show.
As opposed to The Next Generation before
it, where from late in Season 2 straight thru Season 6 almost every episode is
a solid, memorable adventure that can be viewed time and again. Audiences can’t judge all of Highlander: The Series by its weaker
first season or woeful last season- Years 3, 4, and 5 are day in and day out
dynamite. With Deep Space Nine,
however, you have the First and Second Season stinkers, the developmental debut
feeling in Year 3, then the same half greatness in Seasons 4 and 5 before this
shared glory in Year 6. Where are we to
define this series’ overall flawed presentation? With one year remaining, it
feels like DS9 never lives up to its
potential. How can one claim this is the best Star Trek incarnation when its very persona feels based upon uneven
fluff logistics and time wasters? Cut
the seasons in half, give us fully developed arching greatness, and we can talk
about the exceptional merits of Deep
Space Nine. Season 6 proves it can be done, so ignore the quibbles and go
for the glory this year while it lasts.
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